Film Editor Estefania Sequeira
The majority of film editors, at least the successful ones, didn’t embark on a career in film editing by harboring hopes of being in the spotlight; instead, they leave the Hollywood glitz and glamour for the actors and focus their energies on bringing stories to life in the most captivating way possible. Although they are rarely recognized in the eyes of the public for their invaluable contributions to the visual productions they undertake, their role remains a pivotal one, so much so that it can make or break a production.
Originally from Costa Rica, editor Estefania Sequeira is beyond talented when it comes to taking harnessing footage and seamlessly sewing it together into to form a story that commands the attention of viewers.
Sequeira admits, “What I love most about editing is that you are in control of telling a story; and even though there might be a strict structure to the story, you still get to decide how the story will be told with every shot you choose and every cut you make.”
As an editor, Sequeira’s job is always changing –not foundationally– but creatively. It would be naïve to think that a film editor only edits films; in fact, their work includes any and every visual story created by the moving image. From music videos and concert visuals to commercials and promotional trailers, every project an editor takes on brings a different creative vision, target audience, and end goal than the last– —meaning that an editor has to be something of a chameleon in their approach to their work.
With an array of projects already under her belt, including: the feature film East Side Sushi; the documentary, Dust; several captivating promotional videos for Rams Gate Winery, Magnolia Brewery and Off The Grid; concert videos for Slightly Stoopid, DJ Tall Sasha and Plastic Villains; and the music video for Katie Burden’s single, “My Blind Eye,” Estefania Sequeira has shown over the course of her career that she has the capacity to morph her creative eye and editing talents to fit whatever a project requires.
While this aspect of the profession may seem daunting to most, Sequeira thrives on the unpredictability of each new project and the learning experiences they offer.
She says, “I love the whole process of discovery as I let the footage speak to me and show me what it has to offer as I dance around with it until it all falls into place. ”
Early on in her editing career, Sequeira honed her skills in the field working as a videographer and editor for the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. There, she collaborated with video producer Dave Taylor, who is known for his work as an editor on the television shows Made in America, Cheating Death, Second Verdict and others., Estefania Sequeira explains, “At the PFA/BAM I would help Dave with the archiving and the production of video content. Though the majority of the time, I’d be shooting and editing videos for the speakers, events and exhibitions they had going on there.”
Not only was Sequeira’s work with the PFA/BAM valuable for her growth as an editor, but it was also integral to the future of the organization in the way of capturing its pivotal involvement in contemporary culture.
Sequeira explains, “These videos are important for archival purposes. They are a resource for people to be able to access information on artists and innovators that are important and relevant to this day and age.”
The handful of editors who have reached international acclaim in the history of film did not achieve greatness by shying away from challenges; instead, they sought out challenging projects in the same way Estefania Sequeira has, in order to propel their crafts beyond their previous limitations.
In 2013 Sequeira joined the award-winning team of filmmakers Chronosynclastic Infundibulum, the same group that garnered the City Winner title in 2010 for the film Albatross at the San Francisco 48-Hour Film Project. Sequeira worked with the team on the film Nothing Funny About a Clown in Love, which had astonishing success at the 2013 San Francisco 48-Hour Film Project as well and received the prestigious Best Directing and Audience Choice Awards.
The film portrays a retired clown who loses his zest for life after a painful break-up with his clown girlfriend. As the man wanders the streets of San Francisco, he repeatedly encounters things that remind him of better times, which are revealed to the audience through scenes of the main character reliving his memories from the past. As the film’s editor, Sequeira used her magic to bring the ex-clown’s current state of depression and his backstory to life through her seamless inclusion of flashbacks. Nothing Funny About a Clown in Love was also nominated for Best Editing at the festival– an even greater testament to Estefania Sequeira’s talents.
Sequeira says about the nomination, “The 48 Hour Film Project is this great community event that is really fun to be part of. It’s something that you do, not so much for recognition, but because it’s an exhilarating experience. Though, it was definitely humbling to be nominated next to the other great editors that participated, especially since it was my first time participating. I can’t wait to participate in it again!”